Cecil Fielder

Cecil Grant Fielder (born September 21, 1963) is a former American professional baseball player who served primarily as a designated hitter and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Known as a powerful slugger during the 1980s and 1990s, Fielder played college ball at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). His MLB career included stints with the Toronto Blue Jays (1985–1988), Detroit Tigers (1990–1996), New York Yankees (1996–1997), Anaheim Angels (1998), and Cleveland Indians (1998). He also spent the 1989 season with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Central League. Fielder won a World Series ring with the Yankees in 1996, defeating the Atlanta Braves. In 1990, he became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs in a season since George Foster’s 52 for the Cincinnati Reds in 1977, and the first American Leaguer to do so since Mickey Mantle (54) and Roger Maris (61) in 1961.

Fielder is the father of Prince Fielder, who also became a premier power hitter. Together, they are the only father-son duo in MLB history to each have a 50-home-run season, and until 2021, they were the only such pair to both have 40-home-run seasons—a mark later matched by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his father.

Fielder attended Nogales High School in La Puente, California, where he earned All-American honors in 1981. He then played for the UNLV Rebels baseball team. The Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the 31st round (767th overall) of the 1981 MLB draft, but he did not sign. The Kansas City Royals selected him in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 1982 draft, and this time he signed. On February 5, 1983, the Royals traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays for Leon Roberts.

Fielder made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays on July 18, 1985, splitting time at first and third base with Willie Upshaw and Fred McGriff. Over four seasons in Toronto, he batted .243 with 31 home runs and 84 RBIs, earning $125,000 in his final season.

After the 1988 season, the Hanshin Tigers signed Fielder for $1,050,000 (about $1,968,644 today), plus a chauffeur and a full-time interpreter. He said he went to Japan not just for the money, but for the chance to play every day. Initially struggling to adapt to Japanese baseball culture, he adjusted with help from Tigers manager Minoru Murayama and Junichi Kashiwabara. The Tigers made him their cleanup hitter, and he became a fan favorite, nicknamed "Wild Bear" (wild for power, bear for his size). In 1989, he hit .302 with 38 home runs and 81 RBIs.

On January 15, 1990, Fielder signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Detroit Tigers. That season, he batted .277 and led the majors with 51 home runs and 132 RBIs in 159 games. On the final day of the season at Yankee Stadium, he hit his 50th and 51th home runs, becoming the 11th player in MLB history—and only the second in the previous 25 years—to reach 50 homers. He was the first Tiger to do so since Hank Greenberg’s 58 in 1938, and no Tiger has done it since. Despite his performance, the Tigers finished with just 79 wins, making Fielder the first player to hit 50 home runs on a losing team since Ralph Kiner in 1949.

Fielder’s previous career high was 14 home runs with Toronto in 1987, making his breakout unexpected. He also led the majors in slugging percentage (.592) and strikeouts (182), and topped the American League in total bases (339). He finished second in AL MVP voting that year. In 1990, he became the ninth major leaguer to record two three-home-run games in a single season.

In 1991, Fielder batted .261 with 44 home runs and 133 RBIs, again leading the majors in both categories. He joined Hank Greenberg (1937–38) as the only Tigers to hit 40 or more homers in consecutive seasons (a feat later matched by Miguel Cabrera in 2012–13). He was again the runner-up for AL MVP.

On January 29, 1992, Fielder avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract, then the highest salary ever for an arbitration-eligible player. He responded with 35 home runs and led the league in RBIs (124) for a third straight year, becoming the first American Leaguer to do so since Babe Ruth.

During the 1990s, Fielder earned a reputation for clutch hitting and power, though the Tigers remained mediocre. His team’s struggles may have cost him MVP votes; Rickey Henderson and Cal Ripken Jr. narrowly beat him in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Detroit fans nicknamed him "Big Daddy" for his big smile, calm demeanor, and massive home runs—as well as his large frame.

In six seasons with Detroit, Fielder posted four consecutive 30-homer, 100-RBI campaigns. The 1994 season, cut short by a player strike, saw him hit 28 home runs and 90 RBIs in 109 games, denying him a chance to extend that streak. He became the first Tiger to hit at least 25 home runs in six straight seasons. No Tiger had hit more over a six-year span (219) until Miguel Cabrera’s 227 from 2008 to 2013, and no major leaguer had more home runs from 1990 to 1995.